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Fruit Can Help Fight Off Depression

It’s no secret that when we’re going through a depressive episode, every little task seems monstrous. The glass that needs to be put in the dishwasher looks like it weighs 1,000 pounds and the walk to the corner bagel place appears miles away. Eventually dread sets in and as a result, nothing gets accomplished. Add to that a quick log-on to Facebook for a barrage of photos of your friends running marathons, enjoying exotic vacations and having the kind of fun only seen in television commercials. The day ends with a mental berating of how useless, unproductive and lazy you are.

I’ve had some days and nights like that lately. It’s something I’m working on and it will pass soon. Until I get my mind and body back into sync, it’s critical that I push forward, as difficult as it may be.

Yesterday, in what could easily have been a day like that described above, turned out to be just the opposite. My mom, who somehow always knows what I need to get me through tough times, invited me to go food shopping with her. Reluctantly, I met her at the busy supermarket across the street from my apartment – and within a few minutes, my mood got better, simply by being around the fresh, colorful produce, the aroma of ground coffee beans and the delicious smell of just-baked baguettes. I started to grab items from the shelves and excitedly filled up my cart.

Strolling down the aisles, I wasn’t consciously aware that the perfectly untouched cantaloupe didn’t appeal to me, yet the clear container with the no-effort-on-my-part mouth-sized melon cubes grabbed my attention right away. At the checkout counter, I started to laugh when I realized that every thing I picked out required little to no preparation. All the fruit was sliced and ready-to-eat. The vegetables were washed and cut.

There are simple ways to combat the lack of motivation and energy brought on by depression. Apparently for me, the remedy can be found in the produce department.

Adrienne Gurman is a dedicated volunteer for Bring Change 2 Mind, an organization spearheaded by Glenn Close and dedicated to eradicating the stigma surrounding mental illness. Adrienne has worked diligently to reach as many people as possible by openly sharing her experiences of living with Major Depression and Anxiety throughout most of her life. She is an advocate for mental health through public speaking, writing and reaching out to those in need. Adrienne aims to give a face to Depression in hopes of raising public awareness and helping those individuals that suffer with mental challenges to know where to turn for help. She strives to demonstrate, by example, that it is possible to live a productive and fulfilling life despite the obstacles that come with any chronic ailment. She runs a successful design business in NYC while taking good care of herself and keeping mental health at the top of her priority list.

Adrienne

Mary Hallgren

I can relate. When I am feeling really bad, I like to go to the craft store. Looking at all the different colors of yarn, all the pretty beads, etc., can put me in a good mood. Unfortunately, it usuallly makes me buy a lot of stuff that I have grand ideas for that never come to be. LOL But whatever makes you feel better, right?

Thank you for this piece. I *really* needed to read it today. I've been in a funk this week, lacking motivation & today I did … well, not much of anything. And keep berating myself for my lack of productivity. This little piece really helped me, just in knowing someone else is going through the same thing.

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HEALTHY HABITS

Most of us don’t default to healthy habits. It takes planning and effort, and sometimes a surge of self-discipline, to eat right, exercise, get the sleep we need, and stay on top of work and life tasks. Establishing new habits, let alone purging bad ones, can require major effort, especially if we are also struggling with depression or anxiety. What are some good habits that you've formed and how did you build them?